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In the third week of January we had the pleasure to welcome a great group of people. Colt Power, Van Power and Billy Smith visited us from Texas. They arrived at Cordoba airport at 11.45 am and they had chosen to stay at the Plaza Real Lodge.

Plaza Real Lodge is one of the best options for dove hunting in Argentina because it is just 80km away from the airport, and located between the airport and the best dove roost of the area.

Because we want our guests to have the best hunting experience of their lives and have a memorable trip, we plan everything according to the individual characteristics of the group. That’s why after we picked them up from the airport we drove them straight to the field, there was no time to waste. We wanted to start the hunting fun as soon as possible! The hunting area for the day was towards the west of our province, a place called Los Pozos, located between the hills and the dove roost. There, a delicious lunch at the field had been prepared by our chef. The menu was the most typical Argentinian meal you can ask for: the world’s famous Argentinian asado (BBQ) cooked at the field and Malbec wine. Our lunches at the field are next level. After the first day, all of our guests are anxiously waiting for the next lunch. The skewer is one of the most expected dishes in the field because it is prepared with the doves hunted by our guests that morning. It is really amazing. You should see it for yourself! After enjoying the meal, the group was ready to start hunting. Although a bit shorter than usual, the hunt was fantastic!

For the next day, the beginning of the hunting activities was planned for 8.30 am. However, the weather conditions were not good in the morning so a change of plans was in order to make the most of the day. We waited 45 minutes at the lodge for the weather conditions to ease while our guests enjoyed a good chat with the guides and locals. After that, we decided to head to the hunting area and we planned an earlier lunch at the field to allow for a longer hunting session in the afternoon. Although the morning hunting was a bit shorter than usual, the improved weather conditions allowed Colt, Van and Billy to have an excellent hunting day. All of them showed their amazing hunting skills!

The third day started with a clear and bright blue sky, as it is usual in Cordoba during summer. At 8.30 a new hunting day started and by the time we stopped for lunch our friends were amazed by the volume of birds flying over the cornfields. Colt and Van had something in mind: the 1000 club. They wanted to win our 1000 doves t-shirt, so they are very excited to start the hunting afternoon.

We decided to take our friends to a different area, the highest point of the hill, where the amount of doves flying was just unbelievable. Here was the best spot for Colt and Van to achieve their goal. Billy was not as focused on the 1000 club as he was on having fun, and the field did not disappoint him!

Although Cordoba is well known for the volume of doves both shot and flying over the fields, it is something that has to be seen to be believed. Colt, Van and Billy had a very specific request for the next hunting day, which was to go back to the exact same field of the day before. They were not as concerned with the 1000 club as the day before, but they were definitely ready to have fun!

It’s important to notice that even though the four days of hunting were in the same area, west of Los Pozos, on the way to the town of Dean Funes, the roosts visited were completely different.

We like providing our guests with the best experience, both at the field and at the lodge. That’s why after every hunting day we welcome them with drinks and delicious snacks by the firepit. And by snacks I mean another typical Argentinian meal, the famous picada. A picada is a plate of assorted delicious homemade cold meats, cheese and empanadas, usually served before lunch or dinner. My mouth just waters to think of this! Hunters can also enjoy a massage to relax the muscles for the next hunting day.

Unfortunately, an unexpected change in the flight departures made us cancel the last morning of hunting. Colt’s flight had been rescheduled for 9.20 am, which meant we had to leave the lodge at 6.30 am. His dad and Billy had to leave the lodge at 1 pm, so they could enjoy a morning of leisure and relaxation at La Loma Lodge before they left.

We were sad to see them go, our field assistants will always remember you! We can’t wait to have you back!

After the Dallas Show we start a new season. January is a hot month in Argentina, with temperatures of about 35 C. We have had a few days of rain but luckily, the beginning of the season is going great so far. Plenty of birds are coming to the shooting area in Las Sierras. The roads are in a good state despite the rain.

The abundance of water in our rivers and creeks is good because it makes the birds move around the area.

Our guests are Bruce, Ted, Rick, Delbert and Nathan. They come from Huston, Texas and it’s their first time in Argentina. They’re friends and a great group of people. They are staying in our lodge Plaza Real, located in a great spot for dove hunting. Plaza Real is second to none in terms of facilities and the hunting experience.

We get to the field at lunchtime and Federico, also called Fefe, our master chef, is ready to let us savor a delicious Argentinian asado (BBQ). Before we begin, we offer our guests ice cold Quilmes beer and dove tacos.

After that, we are ready to offer our variety of Benelli and Beretta shotguns.

In this group, two of our guests have specially asked for an over and under Beretta Silver Pigeon. All of them were satisfied by their gun’s performances.

After a great lunch, we’re ready to begin. Our head guide says well, well, well and we are ready to check the shooting spots.

We see that everything’s going well so our bird boys Emanuel and Tata go for more ammunition. We’re having a fantastic day. By the end of the day, our guests are very thankful to our birdboys for their outstanding work.

The first guest comes to our camp. He is surprised at the amount of birds shot down and flying over his head, too. After a few minutes, the rest of the group comes. They’re all happy with the results. They can’t believe the amoun of birs flying. Sometimes, they even stop shooting just to see them fly! We start our way back to the lodge where they are going to enjoy a few hours of relaxation. We know that there delicious appetizers and our guest’s favorite cocktails are waiting for them.

We went to a different field each day, and in all of them our guests enjoyed their distinctive scenery at a great time of the dove season.

This is a special group because during this time of year a very important folklore and rodeo festival is happening in Jesús María, a town just 20 min. away from our lodge. In this unique festival, the best folklore singers and dancers and the best horse riders compete in the rodeo. This festival has been part of our culture and tradition for more than 50 years and is well known abroad.

Horse and bull rodeo is very popular in Texas, where our guests come from. That’s why we have a VIP place in our festival so that they can have the best views of the show, and enjoy the best wine and meat from Argentina. Attending this festival is a very interesting experience for our guests since Ted is a rodeo champion himself in Texas and he’s a vet as well, together with Bruce. Our guests were fascinated by the show and they enjoyed the experience very much.

Attending our Doma and Folklore festival is another option for guests coming to Argentina in January. We really hope more and more clients can enjoy our services and our tradition.

Regards,

Martin Andrada

Head Guide

Pointer Outfitters

Testimonial

Pablo,

I’ve been a little busy since I got back but had to take time today to share my thoughts on our hunting experience with Pointer Outfitters. I know Rick, Bruce, Ted and Delbert feel the same. Our trip was purchased through the CCA banquet here in Brenham, Tx. I have always wanted to hunt doves in Argentina and have had a handful of friends that have gone multiple times and I have heard their experiences which was always, you got to go just once you won’t believe it! Not knowing anything about Pointer Outfitters prior to purchasing the trip other than visiting your web site. I know their are quite a few outfitters in Argentina that do these type of hunts as I have heard about several from my friends and most of their experiences were very enjoyable and most talked about all the doves which is hard to explain to people unless you witness it yourself.

Let me say this, that yes there are many outfitters in Argentina and this was my first experience but there is absolutely no way that you could have a Outfitter with better experience than Pointer Outfitters. Pablo, I have been in the retail and restaurant business for 36 and everyone could learn something from your customer service. The guys who coordinate the daily trips, the bird boys (and I hate to call them that so lets say hunter helpers), the chef we had prepare our meals, the lodge staff from front to back and last but not least Miadell what a wonderful person, she and all the staff made the trip with doves or no doves. You should be very proud of the job Miadell and her guys run your business, I just can’t say enough. I feel I have made some lifelong friends that week. Our hunter helpers were Ta Ta and Gabriel. They were all good but these two guys were amazing and so much fun to be with. I will never forget them. The hunt, the food, the lodging was all over the top but it was the PEOPLE at Pointer Outfitters that made the trip. I told a friend the other day that I have been in 5 star Westin hotels and never got treated like that and did not come there to get waited on like that but everyone did so with such pleasure. You just don’t see that much anymore. So I thank you for a lifetime experience that will never be forgotten and I can’t wait to return to Pointer Outfitters.

January is a summer month and vacation in Argentina. The weather is very nice, warm in the mornings getting hotter towards the afternoons. Our friends Tim, Daniel, Dean and Bernard are our first guests to arrive in 2017 and we’re very happy to start a new season.

Tim and Ben are close friends, they go hunting almost every weekend and they have so many anecdotes to tell that they got us laughing to tears many times! They had been in Argentina before, but it was Daniel and Dean’s first time dove hunting here. Daniel and Dean are UFC fighters, and Dean is a champion himself.

The Plaza Real lodge has wonderful shooting areas around the tuna roost, just 30 minutes away from the lodge.

Our lodge is located 80 km away from the capital city of Córdoba. Pointer has Toyota vehicles and Mercedes Benz vans to take our guests to destination. We also have more than a hundred Benelli and Beretta guns. We have also just received new cal. 20 Benelli Montefeltro and cal. 28 over and under shotguns.

The weather is being nice to us in the beginning of this new season, we have great numbers of birds coming to our fields. The amount is not so impressive during the mornings but in the afternoons we get to see millions of doves arriving to their roosts.

Campo Correa is our most important shooting area, where our guests can shoot more than a thousand doves in a day. Our bird boys are behind all the details so that our guests can enjoy the best shooting areas in the most comfortable settings. Our bird boys, as we usually do, have individual coolers with ice cold drinks and ice for our guests to have the most enjoyable experience.

Federico, who we call Fefe, is our master chef. He will let you savor excellent dishes, such as dove with mustard sauce and our traditional asado (Argentinian BBQ) with meat cuts you’ve never tasted before. Federico will make sure you enjoy these pleasures with a glass of Malbec wine. After such a tasty meal, a siesta is a must to be ready for a long shooting afternoon, in comfortable hammocks under the shade of talas and algarrobos, typical trees from Córdoba. Our guests enjoy the breeze and the sound of nature.

At about 15.30 we’re ready to start again and we see many groups of doves coming to their drinking and sleeping areas. We check the shooting spots. We make sure the guests are pleased with the place. Everything is ready for them.

By the end of the day, the numbers are unbelievable and all the group is impressed by the amount of birds shot. More than five thousand in a day. After such an amazing day, the group is ready to go back to the lodge and relax with a warm bath and a deep massage. We have the best massage therapists and they use different techniques to leave our guests ready for the next hunting day.

Daniel and Dean are also chefs, so they asked for a pork cooked in the flames of the fire pit. It was amazing! They were delighted by the experience. Our homemade dessert is another highlight of the night. They are made by our pastry chef, Mary.

In the lodge, the firepit is ready to enjoy some drinks under a sky full of stars. By the end of the trip, our guests are delighted by the experience. They say: This is the best trip ever! The best people ever! The best food ever! Everything was outstanding!

We enjoy having our guests as much as they enjoy the experience. We hope to see you around soon!

Brent Beard’s group arrived in Cordoba on the first of september and they decided to stay that night at the Amerian Park Hotel in downtown Cordoba. The next day, we picked them up at the hotel at 8.30 am and went straight to the field in order to stay the hunting day.

We arrived at 10.45am and there, the field assistants and the guides were waiting for us with everything prepared to start the amazing day we had ahead.

This time, the place we have chosen to go hunting is in the northern part of the province, in a place called “ Los Pozos”.

That morning’s weather was a bit cold, something that was not helpful at all for the doves to fly as we are used to see them flying.

The hunt lasted 2 hours and, once we finished the morning hunt, we went to the camp, where our chef David was waiting for us with lunch ready.

For lunch we had traditional Argentinean barbeque known as “asado”. A light salad composed of avocado, onion, tomato, and lettuce was our first course. It was doused with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, giving it a sweet tang. Juicy sausage was served next. Then came the pork flank. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and lime juice; it was the perfect consistency of fat and muscle. It is akin to eating a large succulent piece of bacon. The main entrée was tenderloin. Slow cooked to perfection with a moist pink center and a charred exterior. The two textures playing off each other exceptionally. Lastly, chicken thigh and breast seasoned with lime juice, salt, and pepper. For dessert we had peach flan. It was light and airy providing a sweet but not overly filling end to our meal. After lunch the gentlemen had coffee and chatted before they headed to their afternoon hunting locations.

At 2.30pm we were leaving to the hunting sports again. The weather? It played us a bad turn once again. There was this cold southerly wind that was not affecting the amount of doves flying, but the quality of the shot, since doves were flying higher and faster.

There was another group coming too, and, since the two groups got along very well, we decided to make one big group. This new group, Mike Amato’s group, arrived at 3pm, ate a quick lunch and then went to their hunting spots to take advantage of the day they had ahead.

The next day, everyone at Plaza Real Lodge started early in the morning. At 7.30 am the clients had a great breakfast. We had planned to leave at 8.30am and so we did.

The morning was cold with great results in terms of the hunting, but not as good as we are used to. Lunch time was earlier that day, because we noticed that doves were flying better around 2pm, so we did not want to be late or in a rush, and on that same day, the clients decided they wanted to keep hunting a bit more, so we finished the day at 6 pm. Luckily, the afternoons were mostly sunny, so our new friends could enjoy great days of hunting.

On the 4th of september, only Brent Beard’s group went hunting since Mike and his friends wanted to go for ahorseback riding experience.

Let me tell you a bit more about this amazing experience. On a day of horseback riding, we would leave the lodge about 8 -8.30 am. We then have a one hour drive on a very scenic road going up to the highlands of Cordoba where you will find beautiful areas for sightseeing and photography. Once we get to the riding lodge the manager and the horse riding guides will meet us. Then we will be introduced to the horses. Now we are ready to start the horse riding trip between hills, rocks, trees and pampas. After this trip we go back to the lodge for lunch time. We will enjoy some of the delicious dishes that our professional chef makes. Great food accompanied by exceptional red wine.

After lunch we take a break in this beautiful Estancia with an English style and get ready for another two hours of horse riding. At about 5.30 we go back to the Estancia where we prepared to return to the lodge. At the lodge the girls will be waiting for us with a couple of drinks and reception. No doubt, it is an incredible experience that you should really think about doing.

The hunting was, once again, in Los Pozos. The day was sunny with many doves around us in the morning, but, because of the fatigue the guys had after so many doves hunted, they wanted to stop at 11am.

We went to the camp and David was waiting for us there. He received the group with dove tacos, a great way to start lunchtime.

After Asado, wine, and a tasty dessert, the afternoon hunt began. At 2.15 they were all ready in their hunting spots. It was very windy, but it did not bother them at all.

The next day, the two groups were together again. The morning hunt was unusual because doves were not helping at all, but the afternoon was great though.

Brent and his friends were amazed for sure; they could not believe the number of doves they saw those days here hunting with Pointer Outfitters.

It was their last day, and I am sure that they left with hard desires of coming back down here some day.

The last day Brent and his friends decided to stay at the lodge to prepare everything for their departure. On the other hand, Mike’s group left earlier than the other days in order to take advantage of the day and be able to hunt for many hours. One of the members of Mike Amato’s group, Mike Rinaldi, decided to stay at the lodge too, since his flight was departing before his group’s.

Incredible guys that I’m happy I got to meet and share this great experience with.

We went to Cordoba’s airport to pick Lloyd Voigt and his friends up. They arrived at 1 pm and, once we got their luggage inside the van, we left the airport to go straight to Jesus maria in order to have lunch and then take them to the field to start the afternoon hunt.

That day, we finished the hunting at 6.30 pm and went to the lodge they had chosen; Plaza Real Lodge.

Let me tell you something. Plaza Real is one of the best options for dove hunting in Argentina. It is located in the province of Cordoba, in the center of Argentina, 50 miles (100 km) north of Cordoba’s International Airport. The driving time from the airport to the lodge is one hour. Smack dab in the middle of the main capital of dove hunting in South America. It is close to Totoral City, and this totally renovated and stylish hotel surrounded by farmland, provides excellent and new accommodations to make your trip special. Argentina dove hunting reviews mention this unique place as a great option for wingshooters from all over the world. The rooms are big and comfortable, all with private bathroom, king and queen size beds, in single or double occupancy; and special suites.

The next day, they woke up at 7am and had an amazing breakfast at the lodge. Fruit salad, scrambled eggs, bacon, cereal, and, of course, a lot of coffee, daily basis for a hunter.

I went to the lodge, picked them up, and left with the group to La Para, which is a small town located 100km away from Villa del Totoral, where the lodge is.

If you ask me about the hunt, oh God! It was excellent. Doves were everywhere, it exceeded everyone’s expectations. They just could not believe their eyes!

Because of the great day they had, everyone was feeling a little bit tired so they decided they wanted to go back to the lodge, and so it was. At 4.30 pm, the hunting for this group was over. We arrived to the lodge at 6 pm, and the girls at the Plaza Real were waiting for the group with a glass of fresh orange juice.

After arriving to the lodge, they decided to take a shower and maybe have a massage session.

Dinner was ready at 8.30 pm and, after enjoying the fire pit, they went to bed to prepare themselves for another great day.

On the third day, we decided to change the hunting zone and went to the highlands of Cordoba.

The morning was a little slower than how we are used it to be, but it was because of the weather, that was windy and cloudy.

After an amazing lunch with doves in red wine and the incredible Asado Argentino as a main dish, we went back to the hunting spot and we knew it was going to be a great day.

The weather got better and our clients were really excited about this afternoon.

On their last day of hunting, we decided to take them to Jesus Maria, since that is one of the best zones to go hunting because of the quality of our fields there.

The day was sunny and so that made everything easier, helping our new friends to get to the 1000 doves Club !

very happy about this whole trip, they went to the city for their last day in Cordoba.

A brief city tour was done and, after lunch, they were taken to the airport for departure.

Doves everywhere, amazing meals, great people and a group of friends; that’s what made their trip so incredible.

Brad Meyer’s group arrived a Monday at 8.30 am to Cordoba’s airport where David was waiting to take them straight to the field. That morning the highway was quiet because it was a holiday in Argentina for San Martin death’s anniversary. José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (25th February 1778 – 17th August 1850) was an Argentine general and the principal leader of the successful struggle for independence from Spain by the southern nations of South America.

Celebrated on the third Monday in August, this holiday commemorates the death of José de San Martín since he is regarded as the most important Argentinian founding father, who liberated not only a part of Argentina but also helped liberate Chile and Peru along with O’Higgins and Bolívar.

So, after an hour and a half of driving, they got to the camp and had lunch with another group of 8 people that had arrived 3 days before them and were leaving the next day. Right after lunch and a quick pause to get everything ready, David took them to the hunting spots, where the field assistants were waiting.

I wasn’t lucky this time because I couldn’t be that afternoon with the groups, but the guides told me that, since it was not windy and doves were constantly flying, it was an unforgettable afternoon hunt, mostly for someone that is in Argentina for the first time, knowing that Cordoba is the best place for dove shooting.

That night I went to the Lodge to introduce myself to the group and to spend some quality time with them. We had pasta for dinner and then we went to the fire pit to enjoy that beautiful night, but just me and Steve were the only ones left after a couple of hours, since the rest of the group was really tired after 24 hours of non-stopping activities and, of course, because of all the traveling.

The next morning, the group decided to stay at the lodge and relax a little bit. It was 10 am and everyone was ready. Some had scrambled eggs with bacon, others chose fried eggs with bacon, a cup of black coffee and a glass of orange juice. And then it was 10.30 am when I saw Martin arriving to the lodge with the Van to pick the leaving group up and, after him, I saw Facundo arriving too, looking for me and the group to take us that and the rest of the days to the field in a white Ford for 10 people.That afternoon we hunted in the hills, on a field located 30 km northeast from Villa del Totoral, town in which Plaza Real Lodge is placed. Totoral, as we call it here, is a town in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. It has 7,110 inhabitants per the 2001 census, and is the head town of the Totoral Department.

While I was climbing the hill, I found the first hunting spot in which there was Brad with Juan, his field assistant.

After 10 or maybe 15 minutes, we decided to move him to a different spot because, even though doves were flying great, they were unfortunately doing it too high and on a high speed because of the wind.

I kept walking, and I saw David and Juan in the second spot, cutting some branches to make a better spot for Brad, place in which doves were flying up on the flush of the mountains and coming across Brad, waiting for them around 20 to 45 yards away.

After a little while, Brad gave me his shotgun and invited me to hunt a bit with him. I’m not going to lie, it was super fun, and I still remember when not only one, but two doves came closer to us trying to land on a branch in front of us and I just could not resist the temptation and that’s how, from one moment to the other, laughter and feathers appeared.

I gently gave the shotgun back to Brad and, after I thanked him for inviting me to spend a moment with him, I left to check how the other guys were doing.

I walked something about 80 yards and found Steve. I asked Santiago, the field assistant, how was the afternoon going on this spot so far and, before he could even answer, I saw a group of fifteen doves approaching us. Steve killed 3 in a row, and missed other four for just a centimeter.

I decided to stay for about 25 minutes with Steve and Santiago to see how everything was going there. Then, I started walking uphill and I found Ricky and Emanuel on this amazing hunting spot of the afternoon since doves were flying low and slow. Ricky killed 345 doves that afternoon!

At the top of the hill I remember I saw Shane, who was hunting with his field assistant, Facundo. After 15 or maybe 20 shots, we realized that doves were passing just behind a tree that was not too big, but really dry, so we offered Shane to take a little break of 10 minutes and to grab an ice cold beer while we cut down some of the branches of that tree.

So that was how I climbed that tree and Facundo told me which were the branches that were bothering Shane. I stayed 15 more minutes with them and then I went down the hill where the last hunting spot was.

That was the biggest of them all, and it had the advantage of being in the shadows and, even though doves were not flying straight, they were doing it from right to left and the other way around, but don’t get me wrong, it was full of doves still!

Last September was a great month. In my opinion, this is one of the best seasons to be in Cordoba. Spring is starting and thus, mornings are not too cold so we can enjoy all day with very warm weather. On the other hand, the timing is perfect for dove hunting in Cordoba; there’s a great volume of birds during the day. Although by noon, the volume drops a little bit. Cordoba is characterized by 100% dry winters. We are waiting for lightning storms that may bring some water to the dry land.

The hunting is amazing; birds are searching for food in feedlots and crops residues in low land near the roosts. We mainly use an excellent field next to the roosts, which belongs to the Bustamante’s family, or “La Ramada de Correa” which is characterized by its valleys and mountains. The good thing about our location in this time of the year is that we can perform different kinds at diverse angles and heights. We have open fields and hills no farther than 30 minutes from our lodges in the north of Cordoba.

In this occasion Derek, Damian and Collin joined us. These excellent guests and friends visit us every year and surprise us shooting high and fast doves.

With his hat with pheasant feathers and his two guns Aguirre Aranzábal, Mr. Collins celebrated every time he saw a dove falling from 55 yards high. Using in his shotguns full chokes in both barrels, the percentage for this host is very high for the kind of dove he is used to shoot. His day ended with a 76%.

Derek is also a high-doves amateur, as he possesses a really good swing for this shot and a shotgun movement that makes him an expert on feather hunting. Damian, on the other hand, prefers half-height doves so he can watch them fall at his feet. This team of father and son has fun shooting to thousand of doves, together in the same position. They only shoot caliber 20, upon which each one hast two shotguns that are continuously reloaded by our bird boys (Carlos, Pety and Dario)

Between Derek’s wonderful stories and Collin’s jokes, we returned on board of our modern Mercedes Benz units. Back at the lodge, delicious martinis and gin-tonics were waiting for us before the exquisite dinner that was the cherry of the cake.